


Family Ties

by mistrali



Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce, Tricksters - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 16:05:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9615308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistrali/pseuds/mistrali
Summary: Dove and Sarai make a discovery, and begin to investigate the secret kept from them.Set during TC.





	

Tanair's tiny bookroom had no history, geography or art books that Dove hadn't read yet. Instead she spent the day trying to work on a way to label and catalogue the books. She and Papa each had a numbered system for their own shelves, and almost every major bookseller in Rajmuat carried cards with a list of their stock and the shelf location of each book. Some, the richer ones like Master Edgecliff, even had books stored by subject and colours in different inks for each.

She took the opportunity to leaf through each genealogy, more interested than she would have been last time she'd been here, two or three years ago. Sarai had started it, with her constant questions about Mother. It made Dove want to find out more as well, although she'd chosen a method Sarai would have called prosaic. No one ever really bothered about her mother's side of the family. In fact, her grandfather Matfrid and Papa's family seemed to regard them as the country bumpkins: meek, unassuming, content to hide away in the Lombyn lowlands for the rest of their lives.

The newest genealogy showed signs of damage. Dove pursed her lips. Did none of the servants have any idea how to treat such old books, the family's own books at that? Just because they weren't horses or carriages didn't mean they should be mandhandled! 

She closed the book gently and moved on, looking for Sarugani's name. She didn't find it, in that volume or any other.

\-----------

When Dove mentioned it right before supper, Chenaol paused, just a little, in her stirring. Then she said, "That's a shame, Lady Dove. Maybe a child tore out the paper for mischief. Now, my lady, unless you're here to help me fry the eggplant, I don't have time for endless questions!"

\-------

"No one could have torn parchment so heavy," Dove told Sarai later, in the safety of their chambers. There was no ragged edge, anyway - the cut was clean and straight. 

Sarai settled herself onto a chair. "Let me look." Dove handed it over. Her sister peered at it, then frowned. 

"But this doesn't mean Chenaol's hiding anything," she said. "Why would she lie about an old book no one's even touched for years, probably?" 

Dove shrugged. "Money? Family secrets? Really, some of these genealogies are worth a fortune. In extortion _and_ gold." She hoped it wasn't financial. The thought of servants being caught in some sort of blackmail ring involving her family was one she didn't ever want to contemplate.

""We would have heard about a scandal, unless it was treason. Servants gossip," said Sarai. "Maybe it's some kind of raka tradition if someone dies in an accident," she added, half-dubious.

Tradition, yes, of course. Why hadn't Dove thought of that before? But surely it was easier to black out the name to ward off bad luck? No Kyprin would be stupid enough to risk bringing down further misfortune on the family by dishonouring the memories of cousins, aunts and uncles. She was sure her ancestors would not appreciate being cut out of the genealogy without an excellent reason. 

"There's still something they aren't telling us, something odd. Because no one else has raka commoners all but following them into exile," she ventured.

Sarai hesitated. "On my morning ride, I saw another two groups, just standing there and looking. When I said hello, they disappeared back into the trees." She looked thoughtful. "They were unarmed, too, and obviously meant me to see."

Dove frowned. These weren't scouts or hostile fighters, then. So why couldn't they just come out and speak to her sister? And why show themselves halfway between Tanair and Pohon?

After more discussion they agreed that Sarai would work on Ulasim, and Dove on Chenaol. One of them was bound to know something.


End file.
